The basic funding will be used to further develop the ongoing legal history research along the main lines set out in recent years, namely contextual legal history, focusing on (1) the history of codification, (2) the history of medieval customary law, (3) the history of social and economic law, and (4) the methodology of legal history, including global legal history.

In particular, for points 3 and 4, the basic funding will, in collaboration with a colleague, to provide funding for a PhD. Under our supervision, two researchers will apply for a PhD fellowship at the FWO in 2025, focusing on the recent history of international investment law and the impact of Belgian law in Latin America during the 19th century, respectively.  If these applications are not successful, the basic funding will allow us to hire one researcher, who has to prepare the submission of an improved application.